Paul in OKC
Member
Did the demo last night. Fun atmosphere. What I learned was I was very poorly prepared. No finished product available, no business cards, no extra lighting as I was just far enough away from a building that shadows came early. Know what to do next month.
I started turning a blank I had made from a bowling ball. This ball was tough to cut, and hard to straighten when I did that part. It was hard to turn. (Not to mention first pen turned in almost a year). I was set next to a cool guy that made coin rings, spoon rings, roses from aluminum cans. Neat guy and fun to be next to. Got a lot of attention as the shavings where flying all over me, and folks found out I was turning a pen from a bowling ball. It took way too long, but in the process I had a couple of guys show me either pics of pens they turned, or an actual pen. So that was fun.
Anyway, finally finished the pen. It had a couple of small chips and a small crack. I was disappointed and didn't even assemble it. I pretty much cleaned up and packed up, but hung around. A couple of folks came back by wanting to see it so I showed them the turned blanks. They were impressed. A while later a guy came back and wanted to see the pen. I had walked away and was coming back, and told him it had chipped, but showed him the blank. He thought it was cool, and the chip added character. Said he was a bowler and had at least three balls. I told him if he had a minute I would put it together and give it to him. "Free?" yep. "really" yep. He waited while I put it together, dug in his pocket and said "I got to give you something, but all the cash I have is $4" He insisted so I took it. He was pretty excited, which also made my evening.
We artist can be so critical of our work at times, when the simplest things bring pleasure to others, and that what it is really about.
I will do it again, but use what I learned last night.
I started turning a blank I had made from a bowling ball. This ball was tough to cut, and hard to straighten when I did that part. It was hard to turn. (Not to mention first pen turned in almost a year). I was set next to a cool guy that made coin rings, spoon rings, roses from aluminum cans. Neat guy and fun to be next to. Got a lot of attention as the shavings where flying all over me, and folks found out I was turning a pen from a bowling ball. It took way too long, but in the process I had a couple of guys show me either pics of pens they turned, or an actual pen. So that was fun.
Anyway, finally finished the pen. It had a couple of small chips and a small crack. I was disappointed and didn't even assemble it. I pretty much cleaned up and packed up, but hung around. A couple of folks came back by wanting to see it so I showed them the turned blanks. They were impressed. A while later a guy came back and wanted to see the pen. I had walked away and was coming back, and told him it had chipped, but showed him the blank. He thought it was cool, and the chip added character. Said he was a bowler and had at least three balls. I told him if he had a minute I would put it together and give it to him. "Free?" yep. "really" yep. He waited while I put it together, dug in his pocket and said "I got to give you something, but all the cash I have is $4" He insisted so I took it. He was pretty excited, which also made my evening.
We artist can be so critical of our work at times, when the simplest things bring pleasure to others, and that what it is really about.
I will do it again, but use what I learned last night.
